Alexander Alekseevich Svishev is a jaw harp maker from Simferopol. His work has been represented in the Oberton Pro catalogue since 2014. Even in his early instruments, Svishev sought to combine playability with expressive design, creating jaw harps in different registers and varying the stiffness and geometry of the reed to suit the intended playing style.

Svishev gradually moved from predominantly one-off work to repeatable models with cast frames. He also repairs his own instruments, replacing damaged reeds, restoring their original pitch and checking the stability of the jaw harp after repair.

The maker’s current works vary considerably in size and register. The large, low-pitched “Salgir” has a loud, rich and musical sound. The more compact “Ay-Yuri / Fire” and “Ay-Yuri / Ice” sound higher. These instruments feature evenly prominent harmonic overtones, precise control and the capacity for melodic playing.

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